Phlox plant named ‘Versred’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Versred’, characterized by its broadly upright and relatively compact plant habit; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with cherry red-colored flowers; long flowering period; good garden performance; and relative tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VERSRED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Versred’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new compact and freely-flowering Phloxplants with attractive flower colors.

The new Phlox plant originated from an open-pollination in Haarlem, TheNetherlands, of an unnamed selection of Phlox paniculata as the female,or seed, parent, not patented with an unknown selection of Phloxpaniculata as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Haarlem, The Netherlands in July, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since August, 2012 has shownthat the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Versred’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Versred’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and relatively compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit.    -   3. Large inflorescences with cherry red-colored flowers.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Good garden performance.    -   6. Relative tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Phlox and the female parent selection differ primarilyin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are shorter and more compact than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox are more intense red in        color than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are healthier, stronger and more        tolerant to Powdery Mildew than plants of the female parent        selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata‘Starfire’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHaarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Starfire’differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were shorter and more compact than        plants of ‘Starfire’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Starfire’.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox were healthier, stronger and more        tolerant to Powdery Mildew than plants of ‘Starfire’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Versred’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Versred’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring, summer and autumn in1.5-liter containers and ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Haarlem,The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phloxproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 14° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C.Plants were one year old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Versred’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Phlox            paniculata, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Phlox            paniculata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About six weeks at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly            upright and relatively compact plant habit; overall shape,            broadly obovate; low vigor.        -   Plant height.—About 33.5 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 24.3 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18.5 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Internode length: About 2.4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Upright to about 55° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Luster: Slightly glossy. Color: Close to 146A            moderately to strongly tinged with close to between N77B and            N186C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 7.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic to ovate; very slightly carinate.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Obtuse to truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire; very finely serrate, inconspicious; very            slightly revolute.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Luster, upper surface.—Slightly glossy.        -   Luster, lower surface.—Matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between 143B and            144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A;            venation, close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 144B to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm by 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 144B strongly tinged with close to            N186B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and            salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal panicles;            flowers face upright to outwardly; panicles roughly            pyramidal in shape; freely flowering habit with about 100            flowers developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about nine            months after planting; long flowering period, plants flower            continuously from July through September in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Oblanceolate. Color: Close to N74C; immature tube,            close to 147D with longitudinal stripes, close to N77C;            immature calyx, close to 144C tinged with close to N186A,            most prominently towards the apex.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 13.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.6 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube; free            parts slightly imbricate. Length: About 3.7 cm; lower 2.1 cm            fused. Lobe width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Free part,            spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface:            Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper surface: Matte. Luster,            lower surface: Slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to between 53C and 58B; towards the throat,            close to N74A; throat, close to N79B to N79C. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 67D flushed with close to 70A to            70B; tube, close to N79B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to between N57A and 58B; towards the throat, close to N74A;            throat, close to N79B to N79C. With development, color            becomes closer to between 53C and N57A; towards the throat,            close to N74A; and throat, close to N79B to N79C. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 67D flushed with close to            70A to 70B; tube, close to N77B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:            About 8 mm. Width: About 1.25 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Narrowly apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 144C slightly tinged with close to N186A, most            prominently towards the apex. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 144C tinged with close to N186A, most prominently            towards the apex. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 146D            slightly tinged with close to N186A, most prominently            towards the apex. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146C            tinged with close to N186A, most prominently towards the            apex.        -   Peduncles.—Length, primary peduncles: About 9.7 cm.            Diameter, primary peduncles: About 2 mm. Length, secondary            peduncles: About 4 cm. Diameter, secondary peduncles: About            1.25 mm. Aspect, primary peduncles: Erect. Aspect, secondary            peduncles: About 55° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C to 146D;            upper surface strongly tinged with close to N200A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            About 45° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B; upper surface            strongly tinged with close to N200A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five; filaments fused with petals. Filament length: About            0.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 155A. Anther length: About            2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong; basifixed. Anther color: Close            to 195C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            1.9 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 150D. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color:            Close to N77C. Ovary color: Close to 143B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind, high    temperatures about 35° C. and to be winter hardy to USDA Hardiness    Zone 6.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been    observed to be relatively tolerant to Powdery Mildew; plants of the    new Phlox have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other    pathogens common to Phlox plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Versred’ asillustrated and described.